Six MPs leave ruling Georgian Dream to join ex-PM Gakharia’s party
Six MPs of the Georgian parliament have left the ruling party and stated they support the views of former PM Giorgi Gakharia. Photo: netgazeti.
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Six MPs of the ruling Georgian Dream have left the party earlier today to join the future political party of former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.
Giorgi Khojevanishvili, Aleksandre Motserelia, Beka Liluashvili, Shalva Kerselidze, Ana Buchukuri and Mikheil Daushvili will continue in the state legislature as independent MPs.
The MPs say that the Georgian people are interested in solving economic problems rather than the ‘continuing political tension.’
We will support all initiatives which will ease radicalisation and tension in the country,” said the MPs.
They stated that they will uncover their political intentions in detail along with Gakharia in the near future.
The MPs claim that they are not connected with the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili.
Several members of the opposition have stated that Ivanishvili ‘has decided to create an alternative political force and uses Gakharia for the goal.’
Today I declared that I am staying in politics of #Georgia. Currently I am working on defining my political agenda. ???????? needs elimination of political polarization and elaboration of the real agenda for its European future.
— Giorgi Gakharia (@GakhariaGiorgi) March 22, 2021
Gakharia resigned on February 18, 2021, saying that the step was connected with the upcoming arrest of the opposition MP and the head of the United National Movement opposition party Nika Melia.
Gakharia said that Melia, who refused to post bail, should be arrested according to the law.
However, he stated that amid the political tension the arrest would spark further complications.
Melia was arrested on February 23, shortly after the parliament approved Irakli Garibashvili as the country’s new PM and opposition took to the street, which was followed by the EU-mediation efforts to help the parties come to an agreement on the issues of repeat parliamentary elections and the release of opposition figures.
On March 22 Gakharia said that ‘I have no plans to leave the country or politics.’